The Forgotten Plague

American Experience, TV's most-watched history series, brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.

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The Forgotten Plague

Season 27 Episode 5 | 52m 6s | CC

The battle against tuberculosis had a profound and lasting impact on the country. It shaped medical and scientific pursuits, social habits, economic development, western expansion, and government policy. Yet both the disease and its impact are poorly understood: in the words of one writer, tuberculosis is our "forgotten plague."

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For Season 27 of American Experience, exclusive corporate funding is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, major funding by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS stations. Additional funding for The Forgotten Plague provided by the Yawkey Foundations.

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